Almost found Gypsy

Did my usual pilgramage to the best used musical instrument shop ever -- the Trading Muscian -- in Seattle. Asked the guy behind the counter if they have ''wish lists'' or ''notify lists'' for when stock of a certain item comes in; he says they don't. I said the reason i

I explained that I'd lost a guitar and an electric bass in a burglary a few years ago, and when I search e-bay for an Ibanez Roadstar II (the guitar), the only hits are for single-coils, not double humbuckers.

The guy replies that they recently got in an Ibanez Roadstar II **with dobule humckers**!!!

I go take a look. I give it a few strums, and it has the same feel as Gypsy, my stolen guitar Tempted to buy it, but: (1) it's red [if it had been green, I'd have snatched it up; if was blue or purple, I'd have agonized]; and (2) they wanted US$350 -- a reasonable price, but not a bargain...

And, I'd already blown a small wad on used CDs (hard to find used CD stores in Brisbane). And we're (mostly) on a single income, with mortgage payments kicking in. So, I'll wait until next time -- even if it's a number of years. Once I finish my Dissertation, and get a stable job -- then we'll be financially juicy, and I can go for it.

Also saw an unusual cowbell (percussion) for US$20; and a tenor bugle -- which is like a regular bugle, but slightly larger, with a button (valve) leading to an extra loop of tubing, to drop it down -- for US$99. Again, a reasonable price, and unusual enough to be fun and interesting... but we're on a budget at the moment. Next time, I guess.


Also some funky, osbscure electric guitars, for about $150.

**Did** buy a glow-in-the dark shaker, shaped like a skull, for US$3.00 I'm indifferent to th e skull-ness, but I do collect glow-in-the-dark stuff -- and also musical stuff. And the price-point was right!

In their synth and keybaord section (!!!), they had maybe 15 synths of varying vintage-ness. Most were around the US$300-$600 mark. Someday, when we're financialy stable, on each trip to the U.S. I'll wander through this place with a wad of money and get something nifty -- a synth, a bass, or a wird-o guitar. Someday...

I **was** gratified to see that, out of the fifteen or so synths, I owned about five of them. Most were the smaller, Casio keyboard variety, though. It was interesting to note that a copy of the old electronic keyboard that my sister recently returned to my parents, because she now has a modern digital piano with weighted keys, was priced at around US$250. My folks said I could bring that keyboard home with me to Asssie-land. Yay! :)


--GG